Surah 16:101
"When We exchange a verse in place of (another) verse – and God knows what He sends down – they say, ‘You are only a forger!’ No! But most of them do not know (anything)."
Alteration and Abrogation of God's Words
Supporting Verses
Surah 2:106 → "Whatever verse We cancel or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better (one) than it, or (one) similar to it. Do you not know that God is powerful over everything?"
Surah 2:79 → "So woe to those who write the Book with their (own) hands, (and) then say, ‘This is from God,’ in order to sell it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn."
Surah 3:78 → "Surely (there is) indeed a group of them who twist their tongues with the Book, so that you will think it is from the Book, when it is not from the Book. And they say, ‘It is from God,’ when it is not from God. They speak lies against God, and they know (it)."
Surah 4:46 → "Some of those who are Jews alter words from their positions, and they say, ‘We hear and disobey,’ and ‘Hear, and do not hear,’ and ‘Observe us,’ twisting with their tongues and vilifying the religion. If they had said, ‘We hear and obey,’ and ‘Hear,’ and ‘Regard us,’ it would indeed have been better for them, and more just. But God has cursed them for their disbelief, and so they do not believe, except for a few."
Surah 5:13 → "For their breaking their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They alter words from their positions, and have forgotten part of what they were reminded of. You will continue to see treachery from them, except for a few of them. Yet pardon them and excuse (them). Surely God loves the doers of good."
Surah 5:41 → "Messenger! Do not let those who are quick to disbelief cause you sorrow. (They are) among those who say with their mouths, ‘We believe,’ but their hearts do not believe. Among those who are Jews (there are) those who listen to lies, (and who) listen to (other) people who have not come to you. They alter words from their positions, (and) say, ‘If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given it, beware.’ If God wishes to test anyone, you will not have any power for him against God. Those are the ones whose hearts God does not wish to purify. For them (there is) disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter (there will be) a great punishment for them."
Opposing Verses
Surah 10:64 → "for them (there is) good news in this present life and in the Hereafter. No one can change the words of God. That is the great triumph!"
Surah 18:27 → "Recite what you have been inspired (with) of the Book of your Lord. No one can change His words, and you will find no refuge other than Him."
Surah 6:115 → "Perfect is the word of your Lord in truth and justice. No one can change His words. He is the Hearing, the Knowing."
Surah 6:34 → "Certainly messengers have been called liars before you, yet they patiently endured being called liars, and suffered harm, until Our help came to them. No one can change the words of God. Certainly some of the story has (already) come to you about the envoys (before you)."
Does the Quran state that the words of God can be changed, altered, or abrogated? Some verses state that no one can change the words of God. In contrast, other verses indicate that God can cancel, exchange, or cause verses to be forgotten, while some passages describe humans altering words from their proper positions or writing scriptures with their own hands.